Gaming apparatus

ABSTRACT

A display assembly for a gaming apparatus includes display means. The display means comprises a plurality of display elements, each being capable of displaying one or more symbols, wherein predetermined arrangements of symbols constitute win arrangements. The display means comprise a plurality of selectable arrays. Each array extends, from one of the display elements to at least one other of the display elements. The number of selectable arrays playable in a game is selectable by a player, whereby the player wins when one or more of the selectable arrays selected by the player corresponds to a win arrangement.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to gaming apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Gaming apparatus which comprises three windows behind each of which is a rotatable reel are known. With such apparatus, a player wins when the symbols on the reels provide one of a plurality of predetermined arrangements, for example when each window shows the same symbol.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a display assembly for a gaming apparatus, the display assembly comprising display means comprising a plurality of display elements each being capable of displaying one or more symbols, wherein predetermined arrangements of symbols constitute win arrangements, and the display means comprising a plurality of selectable arrays of said display elements, each array extending from one of said display elements to at least one other of said display elements and the number of selectable arrays playable in a game being selectable by a player, whereby the player wins when one or more of the selectable arrays selected by the player corresponds to a win arrangement.

[0004] Preferably, each selectable array extends from one of said display elements to two other display elements. Preferably each of said selectable arrays is a line of said display elements.

[0005] Each display element may comprise a plurality of said symbols and may be adapted to display one or more, preferably three, of said symbols during each game. Each display element may comprise a reel which may be a mechanical reel. Alternatively, each display element may be in the form of a simulated reel, which may be otherwise referred to as a virtual reel. The symbols may be arranged around the circumference of each reel.

[0006] Desirably, the display means comprises a least four of said display elements, and preferably comprises five of said display elements.

[0007] In one embodiment, each of said display elements comprises a plurality of regions, for example first, second and third regions which may be respectively a central region, an upper region and a lower region. Each selectable array may comprise a plurality of one of said regions in each of a plurality of said display elements.

[0008] In one embodiment, each of said selectable arrays may be a plurality of corresponding regions of adjacent display elements. In another embodiment, some of said selectable arrays may be a plurality of different regions of adjacent display elements, and others of said selectable arrays may be a plurality of corresponding regions of adjacent display elements.

[0009] Preferably, each of said selectable arrays is a plurality of regions of three display elements arranged adjacent one another. The display elements are preferably arranged in a line adjacent one another, and each selectable array may comprise a line of said regions.

[0010] In one embodiment, the assembly may comprise five of said display elements, each having said first, second and third regions. The first region may be a central region. The second region may be an upper region and the third region may be a lower region. The selectable arrays may be as follows: a first selectable array may comprise the first regions of the first, second and third display elements; a second selectable array may comprise the first regions of the second, third and fourth display elements; a third selectable array may comprise the first regions of the third, fourth and fifth display elements; a fourth selectable array may comprise the second regions of the first, second and third display elements; a fifth selectable array may comprise the second regions of the second, third and fourth display elements; a sixth selectable array may comprise the second regions of the third, fourth and fifth display elements: a seventh selectable array may comprise the third regions of the first, second and third display elements: an eighth selectable array may comprise the third regions of the second, third and fourth display elements; a ninth selectable array may comprise the third regions of the third, fourth and fifth display elements.

[0011] In another embodiment, the assembly may comprise said selectable arrays as described above, and may further include further selectable arrays as follows: a tenth selectable array may comprise the second region of the first display element, the first region of the second display element and the third region of the third display element; an eleventh selectable array may comprise the second region of the second display element, the first region of the third display element, and the third region of the fourth display element; a twelfth selectable array may comprise the second region of the third display element, the first region of the fourth display element, and the third region of the fifth display element; a thirteenth selectable array may comprise the third region of the first display element, the first region of the second display element, and the second region of the third display element; a fourteenth selectable array may comprise a third region of the second display element, a first region of the third display element, and a second region of the fourth display element; a fifteenth selectable array may comprise the third region of the third display element, the first region of the fourth display element, and the second region of the fifth display element.

[0012] Preferably, the display assembly includes control means to control said display elements. Desirably, the control means includes means for determining the arrangement of symbols displayed by the display means. The control means may be programmed such that predetermined arrangements of symbols said selectable arrays constitute winning arrangements, whereby a player wins in the event that one or more of the selectable arrays selected by the player displays an arrangement of symbols corresponding to a respective one of said predetermined arrangements.

[0013] According to another aspect of this invention there is provided gaming apparatus incorporating a display assembly as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0015]FIG. 1 is a front view of gaming apparatus;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the gaming apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

[0017]FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of the area marked III in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown gaming apparatus 110 comprising a housing 112 housing the components of the apparatus 110.

[0019] The apparatus 110 comprises display means 114 in the form of five windows 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E. A reel 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D, 18E is provided behind each of the windows 16A-E, each reel having a circumferentially extending, radially outwardly facing surface 19 and each reel is driven by a respective motor 20, only one of which is shown in FIG. 2, namely, the motor 20 drivingly connected to the reel 18E. Each of the reels 18A-E is marked on its circumferential surface 19 with a plurality of symbols, wherein at least some of the symbols on each reel 18A-E are the same as at least some of the symbols on the other reels 18A-E.

[0020] Alternatively, the windows 16A-E and reels 18A-E could be replaced by display means in the form of a single screen, on which a plurality of simulated reels are displayed in a line. Such simulated reels would be generally referred to as “virtual”.

[0021] In the top right hand corner of the front of the housing 112, there is provided a coin receiving means 22 for receiving coins or tokens to enable the machine to be played. The coin receiving means is connected via a coin delivery conduit 24 to a container in the form of a cash box 26 to receive coins or tokens inserted into the coin receiving means 22.

[0022] A coin reader 28 is provided in the housing 112 adjacent the coin receiving means 22 to read coins or tokens inserted into the coin receiving means 22. The coin reader 28 determines which coins or tokens are inserted and, in the event that a coin or token which the apparatus is programmed not to accept is inserted, the coin reader 28 rejects the coin or token via a reject slot 30 (see FIG. 1).

[0023] Win delivery means 32 is provided adjacent the cash box 26 to deliver a win in the form of coins or tokens to a player. The win delivery means 32 is connected to a win retrieval opening 34 via a chute 36.

[0024] Actuating means in the form of a play button 38 is provided on the front of the housing 110 and, when the appropriate value of coins or tokens have been inserted via the coin receiving means 22, the button 38 can be pressed to cause the reels 18A-18E to rotate, as will be described below.

[0025] A central processor 50 is provided within the handling to control the apparatus 110.

[0026] The coin reader 28 is connected to the processor 50 by a connection 52. The motors 20 are connected to the processor 50 by connection 54. The play button 38 is connected to the processor by a connection 56.

[0027] In order to play on the gaming apparatus 110, the player inserts an appropriate amount of coins or tokens into the coin receiving means 22. If the coins or tokens is accepted by the coin reader 28, it is delivered via the conduit 24 to the cash box 26, which is connected to the processor by connection 60 so that information relating to the amount of coins or tokens in the cash box is passed to the processor 50. The player then presses the play button 38 which sets all of the reels 18A-18E in rotation, until each reel 18A-18E comes to a halt.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a close-up of the windows 16A-E. Each of the windows 16A-E comprises three win regions. A central win region X, an upper win region Y and a lower win region Z. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, there are nine possible winning lines, labelled 1 to 9 in FIG. 3. The first winning line indicated 1 comprises the symbols which are shown in the central regions X for the first three reels 18A, 18B, 18C. The winning line 2 is the symbols shown in the central region X for the second to the fourth reels 18B, 18C, 18D, and the third winning line is symbols appearing in the central region X for the third, fourth and fifth reels 18C, 18D, 18E.

[0029] Similarly, the fourth, fifth and sixth winning lines designated 4, 5 and 6 in FIG. 3 are as follows. The fourth winning line comprises the symbols shown on the upper region Y for the first, second and third reels 18A, 18B, 18C, the fifth winning line 5 comprises the symbols shown on in the upper region Y for the second, third and fourth reels 18B, 18C, 18D and the sixth winning line 5 comprises the symbols shown on in the upper region Y for the third, fourth and fifth reels 18C, 18D and 18E.

[0030] The seventh, eighth and ninth winning lines are as follows. The seventh winning line 7 comprises the symbols shown on the lower region Z for the first, second and third reels 18A, 18B, 18C, the eighth winning line 8 comprises the symbols shown on the lower region Z for the second, third and fourth reels 18B, 18C, 18D and the ninth winning line 9 comprises the symbols shown on the lower region Z for the third, fourth and fifth reels 18C, 18D, 18E.

[0031] If the player inserts coins to a minimum value to play, the player would win only if the reels 18A to 18C stop so that the symbols shown on the first line 1 constitute a winning arrangement of symbols as would be represented in the region 62 above the windows 16A-E. If the player inserts coins to the value of twice the minimum amount, then the player would have the opportunity of winning if the reels 18A-18D stop so that symbols shown on the first line 1 constitute a winning arrangement of symbols and also if the symbols shown on the second line 2 constituted a winning arrangement of symbols.

[0032] Similarly, if the player inserted coins to a value three times the minimum amount, the player would win the appropriate amount if any of the first line 1, second line 2 and the third line 3 showed a winning arrangement of symbols. If the player inserted coins to the value of four times the minimum amount then the player could win if the fourth line constituted the winning arrangement symbols as well as any wins for the first, second and third lines. This would apply in similar fashion to the fifth and sixth lines 5, 6 and the seventh, eighth and ninth lines 7, 8, 9.

[0033] If the player were to insert coins to the value of ten times the minimum amount, the player would win double the amount if the first line comprised winning symbols and would also win if any of the second to the ninth lines 2-9 also constituted a winning arrangement of symbols. By inserting coins up to a value of eleven times the minimum amount, the player would win double to value of the win for the first line 1, double the value of the win for the second line 2, and the amount of any wins on the third to ninth lines. Thus, it would be appreciated that the player can win double the amount of values of any win on the first to the ninth lines 1-9 by inserting up to eighteen times the minimum amount.

[0034] The player can win up to three times the value of the win lines by inserting between nineteen and twenty seven times the minimum amount, can also win four times the value of respective win lines 1-9 by inserting between twenty eight and thirty six times the minimum amount and could win five times the value of wins on the respective lines by inserting between thirty seven and forty five times the minimum amount.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a further embodiment, which is generally the same as the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, and the same features are designated with the same reference numerals. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in that, in addition to the nine winning lines, labelled 1 to 9 in FIG. 4, there are six further winning lines labelled 10 to 15. The first to the ninth winning lines 1 to 9 are the same as shown in FIG. 3.

[0036] The tenth, eleventh and twelfth winning lines 10 to 12 are as follows. The tenth winning line 10 comprises the symbols shown in the upper region Y of the first reel 18A, the central region X of the second reel 18B, and the lower region Z of the third reel 18C. The eleventh winning line 11 comprises the symbols shown on the upper region Y of the second reel 18B, the central region X of the third reel 18C, and the lower region Z of the fourth reel 18D. The twelfth winning line 12 comprises the symbols shown on the upper region Y of the third reel 18C, the central region X of the fourth reel 18D, and the lower region Z of the fifth reel 18E.

[0037] The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth winning lines 13 to 15 are as follows. The thirteenth winning 13 line comprises the symbols shown on the lower region Z of the first reel 18A, the central region X of the second reel 18B, and the upper region Y of the third reel 18C. The fourteenth winning line 14 comprises the symbols shown on the lower region Z of the second reel 18B, the central region X of the third reel 18C and the upper region Y of the fourth reel 18D. The fifteenth winning line 15 comprises the symbols shown on the lower region Z of the third reel 18C, the central region X of the fourth reel 18D, and the upper region Y of the fifth reel 18E.

[0038] The payments required to win on the respective winning lines are the same as described above in connection with FIG. 3 for the first to the ninth winning lines 1 to 9. However the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 differs from that shown in FIG. 3 in that if the player inserts ten times the minimum, the player would win if any of the first to the tenth winning lines 1 to 10 showed a winning arrangement of symbols. Similarly, by inserting eleven times the minimum amount, the player can win if any of the first to the eleventh winning lines 1 to 11 showed a winning arrangement of symbols. The skilled person will appreciate that the number of winning lines on which a player could win increases incrementally in the same fashion as the player inserts amounts of up to fifteen times the winning amount.

[0039] The player can win multiples of the wins available for the winning lines 1 to 15 by inserting amounts greater than fifteen times the minimum amount, in a similar manner to that described above with reference to FIG. 3. The player can win up to five times the amounts of the winning lines 1 to 15 by inserting up to seventy five times the minimum amount.

[0040] There is thus shown and described embodiments by means of which a player playing a gaming apparatus can vary his chances of winning by inserting greater or lesser amounts into the apparatus.

[0041] Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example there could be more than five windows, in which case the number of possible combinations of wins would increase. In a further modification, the apparatus may comprise a single large window behind which all the reels are visible.

[0042] Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon. 

1. A display assembly for a gaming apparatus, the display assembly comprising display means comprising a plurality of display elements each being capable of displaying one or more symbols, wherein predetermined arrangements of symbols constitute win arrangements, and the display means comprising a plurality of selectable arrays of said display elements, each array extending from one of said display elements to at least one other of said display elements and the number of selectable arrays playable in a game being selectable by a player, whereby the player wins when one or more of the selectable arrays selected by the player corresponds to a win arrangement.
 2. A display assembly according to claim 1, wherein each selectable array extends from one of said display elements to two other display element.
 3. A display assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said selectable arrays is a line of said display elements.
 4. A display assembly according to claim 1, wherein each display element comprises a plurality of said symbols and is adapted to display one or more of said symbols during each game.
 5. A display assembly according to claim 1, wherein each display element comprises a reel.
 6. A display assembly according to claim 4, wherein each display element is adapted to display three of said symbols during each game.
 7. A display assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said display elements comprises a plurality of win regions.
 8. A display assembly according to claim 6, wherein each display element comprises first, second and third win regions.
 9. A display assembly according to claim 7, wherein each selectable array comprises a plurality of one of said regions in each of a plurality of said display elements.
 10. A display assembly according to claim 8, wherein each of said selectable arrays comprises a plurality of corresponding win regions of adjacent display elements.
 11. A display assembly according to claim 7, wherein some of said selectable arrays comprise a plurality of different win regions of adjacent display elements, and others of said selectable arrays comprise plurality of corresponding win regions of adjacent display elements.
 12. A display assembly according to any of claim 7, wherein, each of said selectable arrays is a plurality of win regions of three display elements arranged adjacent one another, the display elements being arranged in a line adjacent one another, and each selectable array comprising a line of said win regions.
 13. A display assembly according to claim 8, wherein the assembly comprises five of said display elements, each having said first, second and third regions.
 14. A display assembly according to claim 13, wherein the selectable arrays comprise the following: a first selectable array comprising the first regions of the first, second and third display elements; a second selectable array and comprising the first regions of the second, third and fourth display elements; and a third selectable array comprising the first regions of the third, fourth and fifth display elements.
 15. A display assembly according to claim 14, wherein the selectable arrays comprise the following: a fourth selectable array comprising the second regions of the first, second and third display elements; a fifth selectable array comprising the second regions of the second, third and fourth display elements; and a sixth selectable array comprising the second regions of the third, fourth and firth display elements.
 16. A display assembly according to claim 15, wherein the selectable arrays comprise the following: a seventh selectable array comprising the third regions of the first, second and third display elements; an eighth selectable array comprising the third regions of the second, third and fourth display elements; and a ninth selectable array comprising the third regions of the third, fourth and fifth display elements.
 17. A display assembly according to claim 16, wherein the selectable arrays comprise the following: a tenth selectable array comprising the second region of the first display element, the first region of the second display element and the third region of the third display element; an eleventh selectable array comprising the second region of the second display element, the first region of the third display element, and the third region of the fourth display element; and a twelfth selectable array comprising the second region of the third display element, the first region of the fourth display element, and the third region of the fifth display element.
 18. A display assembly according to claim 17, wherein the selectable arrays comprise the following: a thirteenth selectable array comprising the third region of the first display element, the first region of the second display element, and the second region of the third display element; a fourteenth selectable array comprising a third region of the second display element, a first region of the third display element, and a second region of the fourth display element; and a fifteenth selectable array comprising the third region of the third display element, the first region of the fourth display element, and the second region of the fifth display element.
 19. A display assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the display assembly includes control means to control said display elements, the control means including means for determining the arrangement of symbols displaced by the display means.
 20. A display assembly according to claim 19, wherein the control means is programmable such that predetermined arrangements of symbols said selectable arrays constitute winning arrangements, whereby a player wins in the event that one or more of the selectable arrays selected by the player displays an arrangement of symbols corresponding to a respective one of said predetermined arrangements. 